Matchday Thread ICT -V- Aberdeen

[Pele_Is_God]

1-0 yes

[SMEE]

I cant even get it online, it say due to contractural rights...they cant bring the program.

[+Fraz]

ICT 1-0 FORAN

[SMEE]

Yay.....only 3pts off second place as things stand lol

Edited September 15, 2012 by SMEE

[+Wanderer]

I cant even get it online, it say due to contractural rights...they cant bring the program.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/scotland/17499743

[Georgeios]

Yay.....only 3pts off sencond place as things stand lol

That'll be the top six group dusted off

[Caley Braveheart]

2 points dropped.....

Be interesting to hear Butchers post match interview

[lukemackay]

Frustrating yes, but take the point into hibs next week. It's certainly a performance we can build on.

Building towards a win against county???

[Hiro]

Frustrating yes, but take the point into hibs next week. It's certainly a performance we can build on.

Building towards a win against county???

Err, I hope we'll be winning before then!

[lukemackay]

Frustrating yes, but take the point into hibs next week. It's certainly a performance we can build on.

Building towards a win against county???

Err, I hope we'll be winning before then!

There's only 1 game between it now and theres an international break.

[alternative maryhill]

Certainly stopped the rot a bit after losing four goals two games in a row, although it was really frustrating to hear of 'schoolboy defending' again, against an Aberdeen side which had only scored two goals this season before today. Sounded like ICT played better on the break, which could suit us away against Hibs provided we don't defend the way we did at Fir Park, and provided Doran, or whoever is in front of goal at the time, actually takes the chances when they are put on a plate for him.

[Hiro]

Frustrating yes, but take the point into hibs next week. It's certainly a performance we can build on.

Building towards a win against county???

Err, I hope we'll be winning before then!

There's only 1 game between it now and theres an international break.

Hibs away next week, Dundee United Home the week after. The international break is after the County game. Either way we need a win sooner or later. Today was a golden chance missed, we must close out games like this - no excuses.

[hislopsoffsideagain]

Should we just start every game with ten men? It seems like we play better after we have a man sent off...

I'd have taken a draw at half-time, and bitten your hand off if you'd offered it to me after Jones was sent off. Amazingly, I ended up feeling disappointed that we hadn't won.

The first half might have been the most banal 45 minutes ever. The fans might as well have been sunbathing. Nothing actually happened on the pitch. The second half more than made up for it.

My first instinct was that Jones should have seen yellow rather than red - but he leapt in, his leg was off the deck and it was reckless. The ref was well positioned to make the call. I felt sorry for Ryan Fraser, who was the victim of two rather bad tackles from Raven and Foran as well, and looked like he could barely walk by the time he was substituted. The other sending off, on the other hand, was a no brainer. Sutherland got through, and showed real presence of mind to cut across Anderson, meaning that the defender couldn't win the ball without bringing him down...and Anderson fell for it.

If only we hadn't @rsed up that four-on-one break - how on earth did Doran squander that? - we would have taken all three points. Unfortunately, a pretty good defensive performance was ruined by a collective loss of concentration when Aberdeen took a quick free kick, and Cammy Smith was unmarked to head home from six yards out.

Still, at least we're off the bottom.

Some very good performances today. I thought Ross Draper was immense in midfield. Blackman slotted in well at left back, and until the goal I thought Warren and Meekings were solid. Foran had a rank first half but, after dropping into midfield when we went down to ten men, he was a changed man and must have covered every blade of grass in the second half. Sutherland had his best performance for aeons after he came on - it was gutting to see him stretchered off at the death.

It wasn't really a day for either Doran or Andy Shinnie, who couldn't get on the ball enough to make an impact. I'll cut Ryan Esson some slack because of the wind, but he flapped at a lot of crosses. And I'm sorry, but David Raven was terrible yet again. As soon as Hogg, King, Cooper and Brislen-Hall are fully fit, I don't think he'll be anywhere near the team. And as for the manager - he is lucky the fourth official was in sympathetic mood, considering some of the abuse Butcher was giving the ref - turning around to the crowd and screaming "He's the worst referee I've ever seen" is usually enough to get you sent to the stands. It's the first case I've ever seen of a middle-aged man developing an acute case of Tourette's.

At least this is a bit more positive than my last few after-match posts! Still think it's going to be a struggle against the drop, but I wonder whether the Dons might be one of the teams we're fighting with...

Edited September 15, 2012 by hislopsoffsideagain

[ICTGAZ]

Good improvement overall thankfully, though we should have won it after Doran was clean through.

Defence were no bad up until they switched off for equaliser.

Raven had me doubting myself after his first pass went to one of his team mates, but then next two went

straight out of play i realised he was bluffing and really is no up to the job.

Like the look of Blackman think he could do well for us and G Shinnie played well in advanced role.

Foran came alive second half, Shane done okay, but he needs to believe in himself more and put himself about more.

A Shinnie very quiet, not involved at all.

But this could be us ever so slightly be turning the corner, oh come on we have to be hopeful!!!

[CaleyD]

If only we hadn't @rsed up that four-on-one break - how on earth did Doran squander that?

Doran was fouled as he went to shoot....only had a quick look back at the footage on the small camera screen, but looks fairly conclusive.

[WYNESS101]

First half poor .

Second half.......now thats a game of football. It had everything in the game today red cards, penalty, great weather lol.

Didn't seem to do alot in the first half was quite poor both sides. With both keepers trying to stay awake. Second half started off better with the game starting to flow alot better. Thought Foran played his heart the day as did the new boy Blackman he was amazing. Defence did alot of talking today which was a good sign. Raven well still not too sure about him. Sutherland was a super sub when he came on attack after attack holding the ball up and everything. Doran the new jonny hayes??? He will give alot of defenders trouble this season.

Only thing i would have changed was getting McKay on earlier. I hate how TB always leaves it so late to change things

MOTM: FORAN :clapping:

[RiG]

Dire first half. Struggle to remember anything that happened to be honest.

Second half saw a lot more action. Tudor Jones sending off was not, as Sky have it, for foul and abusive language. I am still undecided if I think it was harsh or not. At first I thought a yellow would have sufficed but I think that it could be argued that he was a bit OTT with the tackle and therefore it could constitute serious foul play. Regardless, I think he should have known better as it's not even as if the tackle had to be made.

Clear red for Anderson though for me. Sutherland was lumbering towards goal and Anderson came through the back of him and took him clean out without getting anything on the ball. A certain sending off and Foran sent Langfield the wrong way to put ICT ahead.

We should have bagged a second when we broke with four players v one Aberdeen defender yet somehow contrived to pass up the chance to get what would have a game killing goal. Doran took far too long on the ball and Reynolds (?) snuck in and cleared it. I think there could be some argument for a penalty and potentially another sending off but Doran should have buried the chance long before Reynolds even got a sniff of any attempted tackle.

Terrible defending from ICT let Aberdeen in to equalise. Free kick was knocked down the right to Hayes (I think) who, under no pressure as the ICT defenders dozed in the middle of the pitch, was allowed to stand the ball up to one of the Aberdeen subs to place a header coolly beyond Esson.

Overall a draw was a fair result but at times it was a desperately poor game. You can see why Aberdeen fans are so frustrated by their team at times. In Hayes and Fraser they have some excellent wide players who will create chances but they had absolutely nothing up front to put away whatever scraps were offered to their forwards. They didn't create too many clear cut chances today right enough but you'd imagine they will do over the course of the season.

As for ICT it was a better defensive performance than recent games against Celtic and Motherwell. Hayes was contained well on his return and there were some meaty challenges flying in at times. Andrew Shinnie was disappointing. He never got going today. Graeme Shinnie did well at left midfield with Blackman performing solidly behind him. Doran was hugely disappointing and I feel that he could soon become the new Robert Eagle. He is too slow and can seldom get by his man. Today Hayes took our full backs to the cleaners at times but we never saw the same from Doran who struggled to get beyond his man on many occasions.

A good point in the grand scheme of things but I do worry about where our goals to win games will come from. I know we have scored a few this season already but I honestly cannot see how this is the case. We look very one dimensional.

[bishbashbosh]

thought we had the correct setup to start with. foran was winning possesion, holding ball up better that anyone this year but then his distribution was very poor.

second half thought jones tackle would be red even from the north stand, it is very easy for referees to send off our players, wonder if a cellic player would have walked for the same tackle.

sutherland did well at penalty. he is not a fav off mine bit of a donkey. maybe this is his true spot -- an impact player with 15-20 mins remaining.

doran has not stepped up to the plate after hayes left. he always comes sideways or turns back. does not have the confidence to take people on and go past them.

was like a rabbit in headlights at the 4 on 2 situation. should have put his foot through the ball but took a touch, a very bad touch, then went down very easy when the chance was lost.

watched the u 20 last week against sj. blackman was left wing in first half but i went home before 2nd.

very pleased with him today, very quick and deserved his mom.

how refreshing it was to see a ict left back being able to take a throw in. no standing for five minutes, he was throwing down the line usually to foran to flick on.

shinnie take note although i dont think he will take one for a while , at least until after xmas as balckman is on a 6 month loan deal i think, but would be pleased if i was wrong.

the aberdeen leveller was a shambles, dont even think schoolboys would have done what we did. think shinnie turned his back and ball passed past him to be crossed for goal.

hayes was a surprise today, totally inneffective, the other winger fraser was a far better player and caused us problems all day. sad to see a player like this kicked to bits.

[Renegade]

Should've finished them off was the feeling I came away with. As others have said, the first half was a bit dull with nothing of much note happening, apart from Meekings' late challenge and yellow towards the end. I thought he was lucky not to walk.

In the second half, both teams seemed to be going for it a bit more, with Foran having probably his best game all season. The key moment though was Doran's miss. Whether he was fouled or not, from my angle I couldn't tell, but he should have put it away. Despite a possible foul, I thought he was actually fairly poor today.

My only real gripe though, was after Aberdeen scored, ICT seemed to be playing for a draw. It wasn't Celtic Park they were playing at, it was at home against team, who were really no better throughout the ninety minutes. This fear of defeat attitude really annoys me, particularly when there was still time to try and win the game.

Also (and this is linked to the last point), what was the deal with McKay change? Sutherland was putting in a great shift down the middle (something many of us have been calling for for months), but was moved the wing (where he's far less effective), with McKay playing the lone frontman role, where due the conditions and stage of the game, he was never going to contribute, and did not contribute anything. It seemed like a change to run the clock down more than anything else. Surely a straight swap of Doran for Pepper would've been the far more logical decision.

Overall, I thought the aforementioned Sutherland and Foran put in excellent shifts, along with Andre Blackman who also played really well. Warren also looked fairly solid to me.

On the other hand, Andrew Shinnie was not in the game at all and seems to have gone backwards since his injury. Doran as I said before, was not at his best (and has an air of Claude Gnakpa about him at times) and Graeme Shinnie, put in a hard shift, but is not a winger. Rotating him and Blackman though, could be a possibility. Finally, as I've said before, I don't think David Raven can play at this level. Another poor performance from him and it's one of many this season.

Of the red card, I thought Jones's challenge was poor, but didn't warrant a red, though a yellow probably would've have been fair. Meekings' challenge in the first half was worse. Whether the red was for the language he used or not, is another issue.

Overall, a decent second half, but ICT really need to finish teams off, particularly when they are there for the taking, and not playing for a draw as soon as the opponent equalises.

Edited September 15, 2012 by Renegade

[Ronaldo]

Look forward to Chris Hogg being fully fit and back in defense

[davie]

Hayes - how many games did he have for us when he was totally anonymous? Glad he repeated that trick today. Agree with everyone else that the 1st half was scrappy in the extreme, but the 2nd made up for it. Blackman had a really promising debut, and I don't think that Raven was as bad as some on here insist - his distribution was generally good, and he was pacy enough to keep up with Hayes. OTJ's tackle didn't look like a straight red (on first viewing anyway) He was late, but it didn't look malicious. I think that was why Raven & Foran both went for the boy Fraser, the old revenge thing. Still we could have ended up with nine on the park after Richie's tackle and it's a relief that we didn't. Penalty was correct, but if was a penalty so was the one where Doran was taken out as he was about to shoot. However, we are never going to get two penalties in one game in the SPL. The goal we lost looked as if the defence had gone to sleep, it should never have happened.

Still, it's a point and I would have taken that if offered before the game.

[lukemackay]

In meekings and warren we have two very commanding centre halfs.

Ross draper is some tackler don't think he mistimed one all day. but he goes in very hard. Love it.

Raven although unspectacular didn't give Hayes much time atall but really need to learn how to pass

Foran nice penalty, no moaning, raw hunger.

And Blackman had a very solid debut. His pace gets him out of trouble.

They were the most encouraging players for me.

We can go on about dorans miss till the cows come home, but best just to take the point and move on.

Bring on the hibees!

Edited September 15, 2012 by lukemackay

[Yngwie]

We can go on about dorans miss till the cows come home

Noooo, don't start all that!

[bishbashbosh]

yes lets MOOOOve on

[PaderbornCaley]

We can go on about dorans miss till the cows come home

Noooo, don't start all that!

Don't be so sour!